GIRLS BASKETBALL: Getting better each day is first goal for Wolverines

The Nodaway Valley girls basketball squad will be aiming high as they take the court this season.

The Wolverines are coming off of a regional final appearance last year and a state tournament appearance the year before that.

Gone is Maddax DeVault, who led the program in several statistical categories a year ago, however a strong grouping of players return for the Wolverines, who open the season Monday, Nov. 21 at home against Adair-Casey/Guthrie Center, who is coached by 2013 Nodaway Valley graduate Brad Baudler.

“At the end of the day, our goal, both as players and collectively, is to get better everyday,” NV head coach Brian Eisbach said. “That second day of practice we want to be getting better than the first day, and so on throughout the season.”

This year’s edition of the Wolverines has no seniors, but instead they will look to six juniors for veteran leadership. Those juniors include Lindsey Davis (15.8 points, 4.5 steals, 4.4 rebounds and 3 assists per game last year), Annika Nelson (6.1 points, 7 rebounds), Bella Hogan (5.6 points, 4.8 rebounds), Jorja Holliday (4.1 points, 4.1 rebounds), as well as Megan McCall and Carli Stuva.

Sophomores Liv Laughery, Mylee Comstock and Maddie Weston will likely see a lot of time on the court, as will freshman Izzy Eisbach.

Nodaway Valley again will try to foster an unselfishness on the court that brings about success. Their team shirts go along with that, saying “It’s not about me!”

“The lightheartedness, the laughter...they’ve worked really hard this fall. They all thought the new shirts they got were awesome, and I didn’t even have to explain what it meant,” Eisbach said. “We’re pretty excited to start.”

Most of all, the Wolverines want to “be great” in all aspects of life and basketball.

“You look out here across the gym and you see a lot of smiles on these kids’ faces. They really look forward to seeing each other at the end of each day,” Eisbach said. “That’s not just in basketball.”

On offense and defense, Nodaway Valley’s girls want to be known for doing the “little things” of the game well, including rebounding, taking charges, diving on the floor for loose balls, and making sharp, clean passes, so much so that they’ve added a new motivational tool called “Little Bling.”

Loosely patterned after a professional wrestling belt, the five-pound oversized necklace will be worn in the student section during NV boys basketball games by the player coaches feel did the most “little things” well during that night’s girls game. It will be held in a sparkly pink toolbox the team will have with them at the bench during games.

“That’s the only award we’ll do that isn’t player-decided,” Eisbach said. “The girls are taking note as to the meaning behind that. The goal is to have two or three girls every game competing for that.”